History. From idea to high-end clothing brand | FUTURUM.cc
HISTORY
2012
FROM IDEA TO HIGH-END CLOTHING BRAND
The year is 2012. FuturumShop CEO and passionate cyclist Harmen van der Meulen has an idea. No, a vision rather. To create sustainable, high-end cycling clothing brand at a good price, which is not a typical private label brand. A fair price should not mean cheap production at all cost, but production close to our home.
Founded on the experienced base of FuturumShop.nl, the biggest bike retail company in the Benelux known for it’s outstanding customer service, knowledge about the market and direct contact with the end-consumer, and inspired by Patagonia, Shinola, Aether and Lululemon, things started in 2014. Main objective: substantially improving current products in the market. As FUTURUM, we believe that details make the difference and by focusing on these details, we are able to support cyclists with high-end product to meet their individual #MYCHALLENGE. This led amongst others to milestones such as the creation of Merino products, the 4 SEASONS collection and the JONA Bib Shorts. In the end, it's all about increasing the pleasure of sports thanks to outstanding clothing and increasing durability in our industry. We focus on performance, our own development, unique technologies and fair pricing.
2016
4 SEASONS
The weather in the Netherlands and Belgium is often unpredictable, logical for the countries that are the cradle of modern day professional cycling. This is how we became tough. Cold, rain and wind! All year long. Dutch cyclists want to wear their race fitted bib shorts instead of fluttering rain clothing throughout the year. FUTURUM Quality Gear searched for new opportunities. After again a long developing process, the 4 SEASONS Bib Shorts was created. Later, there was the idea to improve existing cycling jackets big time. Waterproof, windproof, great breathability and the possibility to wear the jacket almost the entire year. We made it happen with our FUTURUM 4 SEASONS Jackets, a blockbuster!
2017
MERINO
Before the launch of FUTURUM Quality Gear, the available Merino undershirts in the market had minor amounts of Merino, were not always seamless and very expensive. Therefore FUTURUM Quality Gear started a long process of developing Merino base layers with high amounts of Merino wool and a seamless design.
The result is there. In 2017, the FUTURUM 4 SEASONS Base Layer Merino became part of the collection. One year later, also a short sleeve version was added to the range. As a result, FUTURUM Quality Gear is the first one to develop seamless undershirts with the use of 98% Merino wool. Impossible? Not for us.
2018
HIGH-END JONA BIB SHORTS
Creating the ultimate Bib Shorts was another big project FUTURUM Quality Gear took on. Every cyclists deserves the best and because we are plenty of hours in the saddle, every single detail should be perfect. Fitting, feeling, testing in all conditions, washing and adjusting before the process starts again.
After more than two years of development and the benefit of great experiences with the PROFORMANCE JORIS and PEPIJN Bib Shorts, the JONA Bib Shorts is well and truly the most advanced bib shorts FUTURUM Quality Gear has ever developed. JONA provides great comfort, topnotch performances and unmatched satisfaction for every cyclist. It goes without saying that JONA is FUTURUM Quality Gear’s top of the line collection.
2018
FUTURUM QUALITY GEAR GOES INTERNATIONAL
After seven years of experience in the home market and distributed via FuturumShop.nl, FUTURUM Quality Gear was launched internationally with its own brand platform futurumshop.de in 2018.
2019
Launch new Women collection
After some very succesfull collections for men it was time to take FUTURUM Quality Gear to the next level and outreach the Women's market.
The key in this process was to use merino wool in the development of the Mara-collection.
Together with the Mara-collection, we turned the highly succesfull 4 SEASONS-collecction into a women's fit.
2020
Stijn Devolder, two-time Tour of Flanders winner
In January 2020, FUTURUM Quality Gear started a collaboration with Stijn Devolder, the two-time winner of the Tour of Flanders. By doing so, the international ambitions were once again underlined. Devolder has paid a lot of attention to details during his career as he knows those details can make the difference between winning and losing. Therefore, the Belgian offers valuable feedback which helps FUTURUM meet the high demands set by cyclists at the highest level.
2020
Bike MOTION Award winner
Every cyclist aims to keep his/her body at the right temperature in all circumstances. For those chilly mornings and evenings, or when approaching a longer descent, FUTURUM Quality Gear launched their PROFORMANCE Wind Vest Superlight Merino mid 2019. This wind vest is unique because of the use of merino in the rear. This fine wool gives the vest a high breathability at the back, whilst the fabric at the front blocks the wind so you won't get cold. Because of this unique combination and the use of durable materials in the process, the wind vest has been awarded the Bike MOTION Award 2020 in the category clothing, shoes & helmets!
2020
Denmark meets FUTURUM Quality Gear
Early 2020 FUTURUM Quality partnered with two high-end stores in Denmark, making the products physically available in the Nordic country. A broad selection of our products can now be found at Cycle Position in Vejle. We invite you to stop by and check out our products at these two great partners.
2020
Merino wool jerseys also for men
At FUTURUM Quality Gear we simply love merino wool. Therefore, we were very excited to launch our PROFORMANCE Jersey JORIS Merino in early 2020. Turned out that the customers did the same as sales immediately skyrocket. With an inside layer made from 100% merino wool, this jersey for men is not only one of the most comfortable ones out there, but it also meets the frequently heard wish for versatile jerseys with outstanding thermoregulation that adapt quickly to the circumstances.
2020
OFFICIAL STRAVA PARTNER
Beat July, PROFORMANCE 150, it were the first two cases of the successful partnership between STRAVA and FUTURUM Quality Gear. The above named challenges brought many enthusiastic cyclists to the platform, choosing to beat yesterday and give it their all for a well-earned digital badge and discount at FUTURUM.cc. Now, the FUTURUM Challenge Club is the largest STRAVA club in the entire Benelux. Join the Challenge Club now on our way to become the biggest club on the platform!